Barnardo’s Child Abuse Report ‘Must Lead To Government Action’

Organised Trafficking Put Under Spotlight

17.01.2011

The release of a new report which raises serious concerns over the growing problem of child abuse and trafficking must encourage the government to respond to the issue, an expert at Irwin Mitchell has demanded.

According to Barnardo’s, all but one of its 22 teams across the UK has experiences of dealing with organised child trafficking. In addition, the charity claims that it is supporting over 1,000 children who have been groomed and abused for money.

The average age of those involved is also thought to have dropped from 15 to 13, while it is believed that children as young as ten are being targeted by gangs.

Barnardo’s is calling for a new government role to be created to address the growing problem and protect more youngsters.

Tracey Storey, a specialist at Irwin Mitchell who works with a number of victims of child abuse, welcomed the new report and the light it has shed on the problem.

She added: “The impact of sexual abuse on children cannot be underestimated, with the majority of children experiencing the psychological and emotional trauma for the rest of their life.

“I welcome the efforts of Barnardo’s to call for action on the issue and hope that it can lead to a greater understanding of the issue, ensuring that lessons are learnt that will guarantee no further children face such terrible circumstances in the future.”

We are committed to pursuing child abuse cases to the best possible outcome, without causing any additional psychological trauma to those affected. See our Child Abuse Claims page for more information or call 0370 150 100 to talk confidentially to someone about making a claim.